The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1887-10-27
OUR RURAL TOPICS.
Some Practical Suggestions for Our
Agricultural Readers


season which he thinks fully explodes the
theory that small seed potatoes will only return
a small crop of small potatoes. Any theory of
that kind was exploded, we suppose, before
that writer was born, and the whole letter is
an admirable illustration of a class who are
continually fancying they are exploding when
there is really nothing to explode.
Still there is some misapprehension as to this
small-potato seed business, and it may be worth
while 10 set it right. 1t is not the size of the
potato. but the vigor and strength of the eyes
on the potato, that makes up the case. These
are often as large on a potato Of moderate size
as on a very large one. If the eyes are of the
same stronghold equal vigor-it is the same
rs if they were all cut from the same tuber. A
strong eye starts to grow and almost immedi-
ately sends out roots Of its own, and has no
further dependence on the old piece. 1t gets
its food wholly from the earth. If it is a weak,
puny sprout, of course it takes whole season
to get strong, and in the meantime can only
send out very weak threads that must be able
to form nothing but very small potatoes.
If it were question of the potatoes size, and
not the strength of the eyes in the potato, the
correspondent would not even yet have "ex-
ploded" the theory. Let him plant real small
potatoes-potatoes about tho size of beans
potatoes with small, weak eyes, and then he
will find that small potatoes are small potatoes,
first, last and all the time, and no mistake. His
crop will be in proportion to the size of the
seed used.
Aside from this, however, it is wholly a ques-
ton of the strength of the eyes, and these are
likely to be quite as good on average-sized
tubers such as are generally known as send
potatoes, as on larger ones. 1t is from want
of recognition of this fact that makes so much
barren discussion as to the proper size of sets
to plant.-GermdntOtrn Telegraph.
DIGEsTIBILITY OF HAY.
In the consumption OF hay and clover there
is perhaps, under ordinary circumstances a less
proportion digested, and so rendered available
IN the growth Of fattening of animals than is
generally supposed. This has been pretty clearly
demonstrated in series of digestion expert
ments that have been conducted at the Maine
Station. The composition of timothy hay is
given as follows: Protein compounds, 5.94
crude fiber, $3.50; nitrogen free extract A. Al;
fat, 267. OF the above there is under ordinary
circumstances digested, protein compounds, 2.7;
crude fiber, 12.4; nitrogen free extract, 27.9;
fat, Ia.
BY the above it appears that only about one
half OF the putritive principles of timothy are
digested. In the case of clover hay the result
is very nearly the same, the only difference of
any account being in the fact that clover hay
furnishes about twice as much of protein COM
pounds as the timothy. Assuming that 1875
pounds of timothy are cut from an acre, there
will be digeSted 1915 pounds of protein matter,
while from an acre of 4075 pounds of clover
hay, would be digested 22S2 pounds of protein,
m in ha fat md nil
free extract. As the protein contains the SUBJ
stance for animal tissue. this is important in
the feeding of growing and young animals.
THE BEAN CROP.
The important crop which is largely depend
ent upon favorable conditions of weather is
| ample in some of the States, and notably in New
| York. In the tier of northern and western
Counties this crop is largely grown. 1t is notan
uncommon thing to see folds of 20 TO % acres
in extent planted to this erUp. the culture being
largely by horsepower and the horseshoe. Up
| to comparatively recent time one of the chief
obstacles to bean culture was the labor of pull
ing. although this was accomplished by the en-
| ployment Of women and children. Now ma
| chimes are employed TO cut the beans at the
ground.
While in New England the excessive rainy
weather has been largely injurious to the bean
crop, in New York, with dry weather, condi-
l AlOu DSst hudpicu 10 the pcTlcCI CROWN OF the
| crop, il has proved unusually successful and
extremely favorable TO the growers for the
reason of n short crop in some sections, which
| has had tendency 10 advance the price quito
materially.
PACKING APPLES.
| For purposes Of transportation, apples should
| be packed so as TO avoid all brusing from jolt
ing. Barrels for home consumption may be
| filled full and headed without much pressing.
| but those for market, that are to stand little
before transporting, should be so thoroughly
| filled and pressed as to prevent any possibility
of shaking about in the barrel, as will be the
case IL packed loosely. There is nothing that
| injuries the appearance of fruit and damages
| its sale as to have it badly bruised. This
should be avoided.
White specks in butter are little particles
Of casein. They form when the cream rises
slowly.
Sow rye on any odd lot from which an
early crop has been taken, rather than let it lie
idle, even if the rye must be plowed down in
the Spring.
| II Fine manure for crops is more valuable
than course. Hens can break up manure bet
| ter, perhaps, than any one Of the machines in
| vented for the purpose. Scatter some wheat
over tho pile and turn them on.
| Cut the clover hay up fine and mix it
| with the meal for the hogs. Let it soak 81
hours. The hogs will eat it, and it is both
| cheap and good for them. With this kind of
diet there would be less sickness and more
pigs
Two quarts of meal fed to the cows in fly
| time will make up the loss and exc out the
| pasture. Keep the machine in good order.
| This is the way to make it pay.
| - Butter can be more uniformly salted with
brine than with dry SALT but the butter must
be in granular form. The brine goes all through
it. The salt only in part, and the rest forms in
minute crystals.
| Splitting the tongue will not prevent a
COW sucking. The best cure is TO keep the
COW in the stable, aud feed her cut grass and
other green food with little meal. A Jersey
| COW managed in this way has given Is pounds
| of milk twice day. She pays.
| "A correspondent of the Indiana Farmer
says, in conyersing with fruit men, he finds
that the best success with pums has been in
| yards where pigs and poultry are confined, and
| where the ground is kept hard and bare, and
all insects and defective fruit that drop are
picked up.
The latest discovery in artificial fertilizers
is new source of supply of phosphoric acid
through the utilization of the phosphoric acid
combined in iron ores, and,is known as phos-
phate meal. Its introduction as a fertilizer
adds enormously to the stores from which this
ingredient may be supplied IL is made in re-
finng iron containing phosphorus. The guam
tity available is said TO be great, and il can be
| purchased at low prices, This phOsphoric acid
| has been the bane of iron manufacturers and